FALLING FOR THE ALPHA: MY BROTHER'S BEST FRIEND

Dana's POV. I stared at the horizon from the window of my small room, fingers clutching the edges of the windowsill. The Red Valley Pack had always been home. It was the only place I knew, yet I never truly felt like I belonged. My name is Dana Lane, daughter of the late Alpha Dane Lane, and younger sister to Grant Lane. I lost my parents when I was only a pup. Our uncle, Axel, took us in and raised us the best he could, but when Grant turned eighteen, he took the Alpha title. Everything changed after that but nothing changed me the way Ivan Kirming did. He wasn’t just Grant's best friend, he was the Alpha of Red Valley Pack and the boy who turned into the man I fell hopelessly in love with. I was sixteen when I first realized my feelings for Ivan. He used to visit often, sometimes spending the night when he and Grant had too much to drink or when they returned late from patrols. I would sneak out of my room just to get a glimpse of him. He was everything a girl like me dreamed of, strong, brave and loyal. The only problem was that he never looked at me with any romantic interest or intentions. To him, I was just Dana, Grant's little sister. Even after so many years, nothing had changed. I was still the girl who watched him from afar, who memorized the sound of his voice and the way his eyes darkened when he was thinking. I had tried to stay away. Truly, I did. I told myself he didn’t feel the same, that I would always remain a child to him and that if Grant ever found out, it would destroy their friendship but my convictions were never enough. Something always pulled me back to him. I had also begun to notice the way he looked at me when no one else was watching, that was when the thought that he was fighting his feelings for me too came to mind. At last, he couldn’t pretend to not notice me any longer, therefore we finally made love to each other and now, I was going to pay the price for it. —- Everything became so different now, especially after I had found out that I was carrying his child. I closed my eyes, pressing my forehead against the glass. My hands slipped from the windowsill and moved down to rest on my stomach. It was still flat, but I knew what was growing there. A part of him. A part of me. A secret that couldn’t stay hidden forever. A knock on my bedroom door pulled me out of my thoughts. “Dana, get ready,” Grant’s voice came through the wood, firm and sharp like always. “Reed and his father will be here by sundown.” My stomach turned. “Reed.” The name alone made me want to crawl out of my skin. He was the son of Alpha Merrick from the Shadow Stone Pack. We had been betrothed since we were little. Some stupid agreement made by our parents when they were still alive. I had hoped and begged Grant to call it off after taking over as Alpha but instead, he embraced the arrangement, claiming that it would strengthen the alliance between our packs. I didn’t want Reed. I never had. He was arrogant, cold, and looked at me like I was a prize he had already won. I had only met him a few times over the years, but each time was a bitter experience. Now I was supposed to marry him. I didn’t answer Grant. I just stared at the door until his footsteps faded down the hallway, before I turned away and sat on my bed, pulling the thin blanket over my lap. My hands trembled slightly as they rested on my thighs. I could feel the pressure building in my chest, like a scream stuck just beneath the surface. What was I supposed to do? The door opened again, without knocking this time. “Dana,” a soft voice called. I looked up to see my cousin Lena stepping into the room. Her dark brown eyes were full of sympathy, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. “Are you okay?” I didn’t answer right away. I couldn’t. “I heard about the meeting tonight,” she said quietly, moving to sit beside me. “Reed’s coming.” I nodded, my throat tight. “Do you want me to help you get ready?” she offered. “No,” I whispered. “I don’t want to get ready for him.” Lena reached over and took my hand in hers. “Does he know?” I blinked. “Grant?” She nodded. “No.” I looked down. “Not yet.” She let out a slow breath. “You should tell him, Dana, before it’s too late.” My heart thudded painfully. “He’ll kill Ivan.” Lena didn’t disagree. She knew it was true. They had been best friends since they were pups, but when it came to me, Grant was different. He was possessive and overprotective. The thought of me being with someone, especially someone like Ivan, would break something in him. But I couldn’t keep this secret much longer, especially with the meeting tonight and the plans of having me spend my entire life with Reed. “I’m scared,” I said quietly. Lena squeezed my hand. “You will overcome this. You’re strong, Dana. Stronger than you think.” I wasn’t sure about that. Before I knew it, the sun was beginning to set and Lena was helping me into a soft blue dress. She had managed to convince me to prepare. My hair was braided back, my lips painted lightly. I looked the part of a future Luna but felt like a criminal. A knock came at the door again, this time firmer. “Dana,” Grant called. “Come downstairs.” Lena gave me one last look before slipping out the room. I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and walked out. The moment I stepped into the living room, I saw Reed. He smiled when he saw me, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Dana,” he said smoothly, stepping forward. “You look beautiful.” “Thank you,” I said, forcing my lips into a polite smile. Grant stood beside him, arms crossed, eyes sharp. “We’ll give you two a moment.” Reed took my hand and led me toward the back patio, away from listening ears. I tried to keep my breathing even, but the second we were alone, his tone changed. “So,” he said, his smile fading. “You’ve grown up.” I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. “You know this arrangement means a lot to both our packs,” he said, watching me carefully. “I hope you understand what’s expected of you.” I stared at him. “I understand.” “Good.” He reached out, touching my cheek. “You’ll make a fine Luna.” I stepped back slightly. “We’ll see.” His jaw twitched, but he said nothing more. We stood in silence until Grant called us back inside. Dinner was quiet and tense. I could barely eat. Reed spoke politely to Grant and his father, who had joined us but my eyes kept drifting toward the front door, hoping that Ivan wouldn’t show up. Which he did because a few minutes later, he walked in halfway through the meal, his eyes meeting mine for only a second before he greeted everyone. He looked so calm and composed, though I could still feel the storm beneath his surface. He took the seat beside Grant and joined in the conversation, as if everything was normal. My heart beat so loudly in my chest I was sure someone would hear it. I couldn’t look at him. Not for long because I knew the truth about what we had done. After dinner, I retreated to the kitchen to get some air. I was rinsing my hands under cold water when I felt someone behind me. “You’re pale,” Ivan’s voice said softly. I froze. He moved closer, lowering his voice. “Did you tell him?” I shook my head, my back still to him. “Not yet.” “We can’t wait much longer.” “I know.” His hand brushed mine for a second and a spark shot up my arm, as I turned to face him. “I’m scared,” I whispered. He leaned in, his eyes soft. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” Tears pricked at my eyes. I wanted to believe him. I wanted to hold onto that hope. But the moment was shattered when the kitchen door flew open and there stood Grant. His eyes locked on us. From our hands, to my face, to that of Ivan’s. This was when I realized that he heard everything.